Chapter 25 -Friday 11th -Saturday 12th July
Well went off to Kyoto today to visit Peter Golightly (what a great name.) I have mentioned him in previous postings. (see photo). He runs a theatre and dance, acting and singing classes in a large studio and we are going to ‘check it out’!!! We are staying at ‘The Palace Side Hotel’ next to the Royal Palace for the weekend. Accommodation in Japan is pretty expensive, like everywhere nowadays, but Peter suggested this place and if anyone is visiting Kyoto it’s a pretty good position and only $90 per night for a double.
Most other places we looked at were at least twice that much. It is a short walk from the subway which takes you to all the ‘attractions’ as well as on the bus route and near cafes and not far from ‘Family Mart’ convenience stores so you can buy ‘Cage of Poo’ (yep snacks!) and alcohol if you want. You can get anything at these places and they are on every street corner. Very ‘convenient’!!!! We met up with Peter for dinner and he took us to this very salubrious restaurant where nothing is over $7 and you don’t order your food you go to a machine that has lots of pictures of the food with the price and buttons to push (like a vending machine – well it is a vending machine!) Anyway………….you put your money into the ‘sucking up the note’ slot (“watch your fingers”) that sucker just whooshes it away like lightning. Gone but not forgotten! Then you present your ticket to the lady and she tears it and leaves you the stub (resheto a cood a sy) –translation “receipt please?”
Then in two seconds flat your meal is there and it’s really yummy and we paid only $12 for the 2 of us and we picked the ‘expensive’ dishes. You even get Oolong tea thrown in (bottomless cup too!!!) Most of these ‘fast food’ places give you Oolong or Japanese Green tea (cold) as soon as you sit down with your little wet towellette (as previously mentioned.) We really enjoy this food, its fast, tasty really fills you up and it’s cheap. As we eat out A LOT so we have to watch the budget and we are getting really good a smelling these joints from 50 paces!!!
We checked out Peter’s studio (a 3 storey building) with sprung dance floors and wall to wall mirrors. Really cool and just a walk away from the hotel and also opposite the Royal Palace. We are looking forward to maybe doing some workshops there with all his people. Regular gigs in Kyoto will be fun!!!
The Royal Palace is surrounded by grounds that go forever (a bit like Central Park in NY or Hyde Park in England) it has lots of out buildings and gardens. It used to be the capital of Japan in the olden days and was a small city for the Nobles and the Shogun of course. You cannot walk through the Palace itself unless you are with a special guided tour but the grounds are open to everyone and there are lots of dog walkers and baseball players etc taking advantage of the large trees and shade. It is getting pretty hot here and muggy around 33 C% every day, so the shade brings some relief. Gotta do your sight seeing either early in the day or later in the afternoon cos ya run outta puff otherwise!!!
We are manifesting pretty instantaneously now. ‘Just ask and you will receive’, it seems. We were looking at a tourist magazine with a map and lots of advertising in it and I came across an advert of these nifty shoes that Brian had seen last time we were here. They have ‘toes’ hard to describe.
Anyway the shop name was on the advert but we had no idea where it was and were not really going to go look. We decided to walk to the Nijo Castle
And headed off in the general direction just zigzagging our way through the little streets not really knowing where we were. I took lots of photos of little shops and houses old and modern on the way (see photos.) We stopped outside this wonderful window with gorgeous men’s outfits very traditional and classy and low and behold it was ‘The Shop’ with the shoes!!!! It was like our shoe angels (and you know I have several of those) were sending us right to the place. Well Brian had so much fun trying on the shoes and couldn’t decide which pair to get so I said “Get Both”!!! You can NEVER have enough shoes!!!
I gave the nice lady a ‘little aussie keyring’ as a thankyou as she was so helpful. (why are we not surprised) and to our delight she gave us the most beautiful silk ‘traditional mans bag’ which is worn with the outfits. We didn’t buy any for Brian as they were very very expensive! But he does have a ‘bag’!!
How spoilt are we. What a very generous gesture on her part we were really chuffed. Thankyou shoe angels!
We visited the Nijo Castle built in 1603. It has 2 castles within the huge walls and is surrounded by a big moat and then the other inner castle is surrounded by its own moat, filled with the biggest carp we had ever seen (see photo.)They were all congregated around one spot (the main entrance bridge) as we looked around the rest of the moat and there were only a few stragglers. They know where to get a feed!!! We really loved this place. So full of history and simple beauty as well as its majesty (see lots and lots of photos.) We could feel the spirits of the time as we walked (very reverently) through the designated walkways and looked at all the beautifully painted screens and intricate carvings. The gardens and ponds were just lovely, simple and tranquil. (see photos). A must see to any Tourist. They have also got mannequins in the different rooms positioned as they would at the time with the Shogun and his pageboy, Head Nobles and guards in traditional costume. Very impressive and really gives you a feeling of the time. Not a lot of junk or clutter. I would not survive there……….where would I put all my shopping???
We visited the main shopping street (well there are actually several) all flashing lights and people. It is festival time (not sure which one) maybe it’s the knot tying festival (see photo) Brian wanted is cub scout leader to see these knots. Bloody beauties mate!!! Lots of red lanterns in the street and music playing on the load speakers all the time.
We went to a bookshop and discovered it had 8 floors!!!!! Each floor specializing in different books. Comics are a big go here. Everyone reads them not just kids (they have some pretty saucy ones for grown ups a bit like their cartoon movies on TV.) They look like little books and when you buy a book they give you a cover so if you are reading a ‘naughty one’ no body would know anyway. We went to the floor that had ‘learning books’ and asked for Kunji books. The staff were very helpful (of course) running around, all 3 of them at one stage, giving Brian piles of books to look through.
Well I won’t give you our whole Kyoto experience as there is more to come so stay glued for more of “MARTINSSSSSSS INNNNNNNN JAPANNNNN!”
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